The Colts won the AFC South last season despite losing several key offensive players to season-ending injuries with tight end Dwayne Allen near the top of that list.

Allen played just a handful of snaps before a hip injury that required surgery turned him into a spectator for the rest of the year. Allen’s absence left the team without the ability to mix and match him with Coby Fleener at tight end, but Allen is healthy now and tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts thinks that his return opens many new doors on offense for the coming season.

“It makes us a better football team,” Roberts said, via the team’s website. “Getting him back is like getting a brand new player. [Allen] gives you a chance to do some other things. His skillset allows us to protect it up, or throw it or run it when we see the advantage. He gives us an advantage because he can do some things in the backfield, do some things in-line where Coby we feel like has blossomed as an outside guy. It gives you a little more of a chance to be creative.”

There’s something similar going on at wide receiver where Reggie Wayne returns from injury to join newcomer Hakeem Nicks, T.Y. Hilton, Da’Rick Rogers and rookie Donte Moncrief in a deep group that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton will be able to deploy in a variety of ways. All of which should leave Andrew Luck with plenty of targets when the Colts put the ball in the air and that should mean the quarterback continues to rise in his third pro season.

Sounds ok, but a little impersonal to analogize players as objects. To compliment somebody for being new is an insult to those that are old or used, and that’s not a healthy positive or negative connotation for either group of players.

ya… if this o-line comes together and hakeem nicks even approaches his former play.. Well.. this is gonna be a pretty annoying team.

touchdownroddywhite says:Jul 10, 2014 10:20 AM

I hate the Colt’s but I’m pulling for this guy. My company sponsored a walkathon a couple months ago and he made an appearance. No camera crews, no reporters, nothing to advertise his efforts. Just showed up in a t-shirt and some sweats and played catch with the kids. My son asked him for an autograph and he gladly signed it. A couple of hours later my son had worked up the courage to ask him for football advice. He said, “Mr. Allen, what does it take to succeed in football”. Dwayne Allen scooped my son up in his arms(he’s 6), and smiled and said, “Well Victour(he remembered his name 2 hours later despite being around dozens of kids), you have to start with the classroom. The school class room. You have to get the best grades. You have to work hard there. You have to do all of your homework, every day. You have to eat healthy and take care of your body. You have to make good choices in life and do good things. You do that, and the football part will take care of itself”

Two TE sets should be versatile and deadly this year. 8 in the box? Both tight ends can line up as receivers. Nickel? OK we will put 7 blockers in line and run till you stop us. Or Allen can lead block out of the backfield. Lots of possibilities.

D.A is an absolute beast on the field and an even better person off it! He’s just a top notch human being and I hope he has a breakout season. He definitely has the talent! Watch out NFL, this team is loaded and ready to roll!!

This offense could be a top five in the league. Last year they were 15 with an awful offensive line, while losing Allen, Wayne, Ballard, Bradshaw and guard Thomas to injury. With Luck continuing to improve, an offensive line that should be improved, TY Hilton’s emergence and getting Wayne and Allen back among others, along with the addition of Hakeem Nicks, they could be scary.